Topic: At Long Last

Jessamin Taylor

Date: 2013-05-27 06:43 EST
((Contains material of an adult nature, and a lot of corn!))

Eighteen long months had passed since an innocent young woman had stepped from a 19th century clipper from Earth onto the myriad shores of Rhy'Din, and met a young man from just a few short decades into her own future. A year had gone by with growing friendship, and shyness that kept them from sharing that friendship beyond. A beautiful day at the end of summer had brought with it declarations of love and promise of marriage, and though the winter had kept them from keeping that promise, the coming of spring had finally opened the doors to wedded life. On a bright morning in May, seven months after they had made their pledge to one another, Corporal William Taylor took Miss Jessamin Stewart to be his wife before God and man ....and the formidable Mrs Middleton, his landlady.

The ceremony was simple, the vows short and sweet. The bride was radiant; youthful at twenty and made beautiful with the love that she nurtured for the handsome pilot who slid his ring onto her finger. The guests were few, friends that had been made by both over the months they had made their home in Rhy'Din, each invited personally and each as happy to be there as the bride and groom themselves. The sun shone brightly on the newly wedded pair as they stepped from the church, unaware that a certain landlady had paid the carriage driver a pretty penny to give them the most scenic route of the city he possibly could. After all, she and the other guests had a few preparations of their own to make still, back at the boarding house.

Lifted into the carriage by her new husband, Jessamin laughed happily as she waved to those few who had witnessed their vows. There was a little sadness, yes, that her aunts had not been there, unable to reach Rhy'Din by any means, though they had searched long and hard for a way. But in truth, none of them had expected to see one another again, and just to know that Jess was married and happy was enough for Cecilia and Margaret. Their young niece settled into the open carriage beside her husband, turning her shy, loving eyes to him tenderly. Her husband. My Will.

The waiting had been hard for them both, especially for Will who had been anxious to make Jess his wife for what seemed like a very long time. Despite his impatience, he had insisted on doing things the right way, and the right way meant waiting until they were both settled and he could earn enough money to provide for a wife and a family. Even so, it had been Mrs. Middleton who had finally stepped in and told him that if he insisted on waiting until their circumstances were perfect, they might never get married. It wasn't that he'd had cold feet - there was no doubt in his mind that he loved Jessamin with all his heart and had for a long time. It was just that he wanted to make sure he could give her the life he thought she deserved, not realizing that all she really wanted was him. It had taken an older, wiser person to finally make that clear to him. Once he realized and understood that, things moved pretty quickly. He'd saved nearly enough for a ring, and Mrs. Middleton insisted on loaning him the rest.

It was no secret that she'd become quite fond of the young couple, and without a family of her own, had taken them under her wing and into her heart. The war was long over, yet Will chose to wear his uniform to the wedding, his squadron and rank plain to see on his lapel and shoulders. Though he no longer belonged to the military, he wore that uniform with pride and honor as befitted any military veteran. Oddly, he had felt more nervous saying his vows in front of the small crowd gathered than he had his first day in the pilot's seat, but like that first flight, this was their first step on the road to a new life together.

Now that the vows had been said and the ceremony was over, Will had finally relaxed, settling himself into the carriage beside his new bride and taking her hand as they waved to the happy onlookers and well-wishers gathered around. At last, they were off, and he turned his happy smile to the young woman at his side, his heart feeling as light as a feather, as if it had wings. Today was, without a doubt, the happiest day of his life, and it was all because of this lovely young woman beside him - his beloved, his wife, his Jess. She was a vision, the loveliest thing he'd ever seen. Somehow, it seemed she grew lovelier by the day, and each day that passed only found him falling more in love with her than the day before.

As the carriage pulled away, the horses trotting to take a turn around the city in the tradition that had not yet died when Jessamin had left England, the well wishers scattered to their own transports, hurried on by Mrs Middleton. There was a wedding breakfast to have ready by the time Will brought his bride to the boarding house where they would begin their married life; they could only hope the progress around the city would give them time a-plenty for it. Within the carriage beneath the warm sun, Jessamin was silent, unknowing quite what to say or do now she was a wife. Her gaze lingered long on Will's face, tenderly admiring of not just his own kind of beauty but the handsome soul contained within. Until a thought occurred to her quite suddenly, and she gasped, twisting to look back down the street toward the church. "I didn't throw my bouquet!"

Will couldn't help but laugh, his heart light and happy, amused by her lapse of memory. He glanced over his shoulder at the small crowd that was dispersing behind them. "You can throw it when we get to the boarding house," he suggested, not very knowledgeable about the various traditions involved in getting married and obviously not very concerned about it now that they were married. His heart skipped a beat at the thought of it. He was married. She was Mrs. William Taylor. Mrs. Jessamin Taylor. Mrs. Taylor, his bride, his wife, the love of his life, and suddenly he could wait no longer. Whether it was polite or not, he touched her cheek to turn her face toward him and caught her lips to offer a tender, loving kiss.

Hadn't she said when he'd first fallen to his knee in the autumn that she'd been taught it was a man's right to kiss his sweetheart whenever he wished" Surely that applied more so to a man and his wife. However impolite it was, Jess offered no protest but her blush as her husband kissed her, young love that promised to grow old with him rich in her eyes when he drew back from her. Her smile was wide as they swayed together with the motion of the carriage, curling her fingers softly to his cheek, sweetly conscious of her bare neck and shoulders beneath the sunshine. "Are you happy, Will?" she asked him, her voice lilting through the cultured tone she was never going to lose. "I know you wanted to wait a little longer, but ....I'm so happy, I feel I could burst!"

His lips lingered against hers for what was definitely longer than a polite amount of time, but she was his wife now and he loved her and he never wanted to stop kissing her, no matter where they were or what they were doing. "'Course I'm happy!" he replied with a grin, a slight Texas accent coloring his words. He brushed the fringe of bangs back from her forehead, for no other reason than he could. "You're the prettiest bride I ever seen."

She laughed, the sound flowing so much more easily from her now than it had when they had first met. She still could not believe that their second meeting had occurred purely because she had fainted in an overcrowded marketplace, embarrassed by her weakness and pleased by it, too, for it had caught his attention to her and begun the friendship that had brought them to this point. "You, sir, are entirely untrustworthy in that opinion," she informed him through her joyful smile. "I am your bride, you have to say that. And untrustworthy or not, you will always be the best man I have ever known." She leaned into him, soft lips brushing the corner of his mouth to seal her words, innocent enough still to keep her boldest kisses for privacy.

How could he possibly argue with that' She was good for his ego, even if he knew her opinion was biased. He knew he wasn't perfect, but she had always seen the best in him, even when he'd felt less than worthy. As for himself, he knew she was perfect. "It's the truth, Jess," he insisted, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I never met anyone prettier than you." Not that he'd met or known many girls during his short lifetime, but of those he had, not one came anywhere close to his Jess.

Her smile softened, faltering just a little. She knew he had known other girls, that he must have known at least one in his time. He had lived through a war, and though she was naive, she was not so naive as to think a young man stayed celibate when every night might be his last. Her fingers linked with his as she blushed once again, dropping her gaze to their joined hands, smiling to see the sparkle of his ring on her finger. "I hope you still believe so in the morning."

Oh, he'd been with a few girls - women, rather - but not as many as she might think. His first was little more than a drunken memory - dragged to a brothel by his friends to lose his virginity before going off to war. It had been an awkward encounter at best and one he'd sooner forget. He was no experienced lover, and the thought of taking her to bed both excited him and made him nervous. "I hope I don't disappoint you," he replied, a shy, nervous smile on his face.

Jessamin Taylor

Date: 2013-05-27 06:43 EST
Slowly, eyes the color of chocolate rose to meet his, disbelieving that he could possibly be nervous of something she had always been taught was a man's prerogative to learn and enjoy. Admittedly, that teaching had been at the hands of maiden aunts, but still ...."I do not believe you could ever disappoint me, Will," his wife told him in a gentle voice, drawing her thumb over his lips. "I only want to be a good wife to you. You will teach me, won't you?"

"Jess..." he started with a frown, reaching for his hand and folding it between his own. "I-I'm not..." He trailed off, not quite sure how to put his thoughts into words. "That is, I haven't..." He faltered again, before deciding to try another tact. "We'll teach each other," he finally said. No, he wasn't a virgin, but he was no skilled lover either.

She stared at him, the surprise on her face sweetly comical as she misunderstood precisely what he was saying. But there was no hiding the delight in her soft laugh as she forgot her shyness to slip close and kiss him beneath the May sunshine. "Oh, my darling," she murmured against his lips, heedless of the occasional call from the people they passed, casting blessings on the newly-wed couple. "Perhaps Mrs Middleton can teach us."

"I-I don't think..." But his doubts about Mrs. Middleton giving them lessons in lovemaking were lost against her lips as he leaned closer, unable to resist kissing her again, a little lost in that kiss. Young couples had been getting married and figuring out what to do in the marriage bed for countless centuries. He knew one way or another, they'd figure it out, too. Wasn't that half the fun of it' Figuring it out together"

Caught up in his kiss, Jess let her smile fade to nothing but a feeling, daring to draw her arms about his neck, the simple trapping of her bouquet still clutched in one hand as she leaned into him. For all that she was bare-shouldered, never having been near him without being covered to the throat, she felt no shy embarrassment in being so close, enraptured by the thought that their many delays were over. "I love you, Will, so very much."

He had grown a little bolder over the past few months, a little less timid, yet still he'd always held himself in check, respecting her just the way his Ma had always taught him to do. Now that they were married, it felt strange that he didn't have to worry about that anymore. He didn't have to worry about keeping his eyes level on her face and not letting his gaze stray. He didn't have to worry about not kissing her in public or about sleeping in separate rooms. He was all too aware of the daring cut of her dress, of the bare shoulders he was dying to kiss. His face flushed at the thought, sharing her excitement and anticipation, smiling at her sweet declaration of love. "I love you, Jess," he whispered back, his lips close to hers. "More than anything."

And more than anything, she wanted to make him happy, to be the good and proper wife she'd been educated to be all her life in the service of one man she loved above all others. Glowing with delight, she lost the rest of their progress in kisses and smiles, happily drowning in affection with her husband, until a familiar voice let out a yell from their destination, only the length of a street away. Amy, the girl she had worked and lived with for more than a year, was sitting out on the steps of Mrs Middleton's boarding house, keeping an eye out for the newly-weds. As the carriage came into view, she let out an enthusiastic shout. "They're here!"

Though Will was something of a loner, he, too, had made a few friends, and those he had made were gathered there with the others to greet the newlyweds and celebrate with them the happiest day of their young lives. Will smiled as he heard the shout announcing their arrival, and he felt a wave of nervous jitters again, like butterflies flitting about in his stomach. "Ready?" he asked his new bride, taking her by the hand, brown eyes soft with adoration.

Jessamin's smile was his alone, for all that it lit her face, proudly visible to anyone who looked her way. Her fingers slid between his own as he took her hand, lifting to let her kiss his knuckles fondly. "If you are."

He wasn't sure if he was ready to brave the crowd of well-wishers yet again, but he was more than ready to start a new life with her as husband and wife. "Ready as I'll ever be," he answered, smiling as she brushed a kiss against his knuckles, laughing lightly, eyes shining brightly. "Shall we, Mrs. Taylor?" he asked as he pulled away from her so he could climb down from the carriage and help her down.

"As you wish, Corporal Taylor," was her merry reply, much to the amusement of the friends who were gathering on the steps to welcome them home. Drawn down from the carriage, Jess stood close to Will, her arm wrapped through his as good wishes rained down on them all over again. Some faces she knew, some she did not, but they were all smiling, all happy for the new couple even as they pelted the pair with rice, opening their ranks to let Will bring his wife home for the first time.

He practically lifted her from the carriage, his hands at her waist, offering her an arm once she was safely on the ground. "Don't forget to throw your bouquet!" he called to her as he led her through the small group of friends and acquaintances, ducking his head against the pelting of rice.

Rice thrown with that much enthusiasm certainly ended up in some interesting places. Jessamin smothered a laugh at the consideration that she might well now be wearing enough of the stuff in her bodice to cook a full meal for her husband, distracted from just how he might find that out by his teasing reminder to her as they reached the top steps. "Wait a moment, then," she called back to him, releasing his arm to hold her bouquet high. In answer, there was a rush as the unmarried women of their acquaintance elbowed their way to the front of the little gathering, sharing laughter and not a few ribald remarks as the flowers tumbled into their midst. There was no clear winner - this was Rhy'Din, after all.

He waited for her to toss her bouquet, laughing at the way the unmarried women anxiously rushed to catch the silly thing. Once that was done, he stepped up to her to brush a few specks of rice from her hair, not knowing she had rice hiding in other places that he'd be finding later. As for him, he was wearing his own fair share of rice in his hair, on his shoulders, and in the pockets of his jacket.

"Go on, then, give her a kiss!"

There was no real clue as to who it was who had called out to Will as he swept the rice from his bride's hair, but the entreaty was taken up by the others still laughing over the tussle for the flowers. Jessamin laughed herself, blushing at the interest being taken in them, turning her bright eyes to Will with sweet expectation. "We shouldn't disappoint them, should we?"

He had not attended many weddings in his day and did not know much about the customs and traditions that went along with such a celebration, but he did know that kissing the bride was one tradition he was more than happy to take part in, so long as he was the one doing the kissing. He flashed a happy albeit shy smile at the request, leaning in to give her a brief, chaste kiss. From the shout that went up from those gathered, it seemed they were unsatisfied and wanted more, and Will flushed with embarrassment. Harkening to their demands, he slid his arms around her waist and pressed a tender kiss against her lips, more passionate than the last.

His first kiss found his blushing bride's giggling lips, the sound bursting forth at the rising tide of insistence that something so chaste was not a proper kiss for a husband to be giving. And despite her inbred decorum, her sense of propriety, Jess felt no compulsion to play up her shyness, drawn close into the circle of Will's arms as he kissed her more fully, raising a teasing cheer from the little crowd gathered around them. The kiss washed heat through her, the kind of heat she had learned to battle with over the months when circumstances placed her in the same bed as her beloved, or when a private kiss had become something that hovered on the cusp of something more. Yet she did not have to battle that heat any longer, unaware that it had lit her up, darkening her eyes until Will was presented for the first time with the true longing his innocent bride had for him as his lips parted from hers.

Jessamin Taylor

Date: 2013-05-27 06:44 EST
As their lips parted, he looked back in wonder at his new bride, feeling the same rising tide of desire that he sensed was stirring in her, but there wasn't much time to think on it now, surrounded as they were by a small crowd of well-wishers. He flushed scarlet at the thought, embarrassed by the cheer that went up from that small crowd. He couldn't wait until they were alone and could relax in each other's company, but until then, he would have to be patient a little while longer. He turned a slightly embarrassed smile toward Jess at the crowd's encouragement. "Shall we?" he asked, releasing his hold on her waist and offering his arm. He knew all eyes were on them, and he didn't want to embarrass himself or her further.

All a-glow with a warmth she no longer had to keep quite so painfully hidden, Jess wrapped her arm through Will's, hugging close to him with a soft smile. "We wouldn't want Mrs Middleton to come out here and find us herself, would we?" she laughed quietly, rising onto her toes to kiss his cheek, part of her wishing fervently that the helpful old woman could have left well enough alone and let them have their wedding day quiet and private. They led the gathering at their backs into the boarding house, where white and blue cloth had been draped at the windows, orchids and roses set in vases. The dining table had been extended and set with enough places for everyone there, delicious smells wafting from the kitchens. "I should go and ask if she needs any help," Jessamin fussed quietly. "She's worked so hard."

It was true, they both would have been happy with just a simple, quiet ceremony, but neither of them wanted to disappoint the elderly lady who had done so much for them and who wanted to make their day special. "No, I suppose not," he replied. A soft smile curled Will's lips as she kissed his cheek, and he turned to lead her and their small entourage into the boarding house, surprised to find all the trouble his landlady - who had practically adopted them - had gone to to complete the celebration. The smile faded a little as Jessamin's remark, his forehead crinkling in thought. "Jess, this is our day. I don't think you're supposed to help." He wasn't too sure, but he he had a feeling they were supposed to be the guests of honor here.

Her lips twitched into a faintly guilty smile as they approached the table, exquisitely laid with Mrs Middleton's best, set with centerpieces fashioned after those Jessamin was familiar with from her own time. She squeezed Will's arm fondly. "You mean my only job today is to adore you?" she murmured, hoping that the friends milling around them couldn't hear her as she added in an even softer tone, "Because surely I could do that better in private."

He arched a brow at her, wondering what had gotten into her. Was she flirting with him, after all those months of trying to resist each other and remain chaste" She couldn't mean what he thought she meant, could she" Not his shy, quiet Jessamin. He leaned his head toward hers, lowering his voice to match hers. "We can't just leave when she's gone to all this trouble," he pointed out, looking around at the table settings and adornments, his stomach grumbling as the smell of something delicious cooking in the kitchen reached his nostrils, reminding him that he needed to eat.

He seemed to have forgotten that the only thing that had really kept them from breaking their celibacy with one another during those long months had been their keen awareness that she had a reputation to maintain, something so thoroughly trained into her that even the thought of lying with him, despite their love for one another, before she took his name was appalling. Now she was his wife, Mrs. Jessamin Taylor, and there was nothing to keep her from flirting with him without fear. "I know," she conceded softly, if more than a little reluctantly. "I am hungry, too. I couldn't face breakfast this morning."

A laugh sounded from her other side as Amy thumped herself down into a chair. "You should have seen her," the girl informed Will with playful glee. "One sip of tea, and I swear, I thought she was gonna hurl."

Will was about to say something when Jessamin's friend Amy, who Will barely knew, plopped down in a chair nearby, diverting the conversation. "Hurl?" he echoed, with a puzzled look. It took a moment before he sorted out her meaning, which brought a wince as he imagined her "hurling". He hoped he wouldn't have to ever witness that. "I couldn't eat either. Too nervous," he admitted, though Mrs. Middleton had eventually managed to get him to nibble on a slice of toast and half a cup of coffee.

Mortified that Amy had decided to share that piece of information, Jess blushed furiously, averting her eyes as she pinched her friend's hand under the table, earning herself nothing more than a louder laugh. She lifted apologetic eyes to Will. "I wasn't nervous about marrying you," she promised him fervently. "It ..." She glanced sideways at Amy and leaned closer to Will, lowering her voice. "I don't feel decent in this dress," she whispered, giggling in gentle embarrassment. "I like it, but I can't help feeling as though I'm not properly dressed for company."

And since she had mentioned the dress, he couldn't stop his gaze from drifting over it, admiring not only the dress but the young woman who wore it. "It's lovely," he murmured appreciatively, unable to guess how much work had gone into the making of the dress. "You're lovely," he added in a softer tone, reaching for her hand beneath the table and giving it a light squeeze, resisting the urge to kiss her with her friend so close at hand.

Oddly, Jess felt no such compunction toward propriety. If her sole purpose today was to love Will, then she saw nothing wrong with showing that love, regardless of who was nearby. "You are biased," she teased her husband fondly, her body tilting to his as her lips brushed against his mouth. "You love me." She ignored the low groan that announced itself from Amy, breaking the kiss only when a familiar voice summoned all helpers to the kitchen to begin serving the meal.

He smiled against her lips, not denying his bias, but there had been a time when he hadn't known her very well yet, and he had still found her lovely. "First time we met, I thought you were the prettiest girl I ever seen. Pretty as a flower," he told her with a soft smile and a faint blush. He didn't think he was very good with words, not very poetic, but somehow he always managed to get his meaning across well enough.

She giggled softly, blushing once again. "I remember," she nodded, the memory of their first meeting burned into her mind.

There was a crash from the kitchen door, making her jump as a procession of willing and not so willing helpers came back into the dining room, bearing with them dishes to set on the table. Thankfully, Mrs Middleton had decided to forego a full many course meal, bowing to the simplicity her adopted son and his bride preferred, and had instead prepared a mixture of cold cuts and salads to sate the appetites of the guests invited to this pretty little wedding breakfast. And finally, the landlady herself made her appearance, taking her seat on Will's right hand side. "Well, don't just sit there looking hungry," she told the politely waiting diners. "Eat up!"

Startled by the crash coming from the kitchen, Will squeezed Jessamin's hand a little tighter and jerked his head in the direction of the noise, relaxing when he realized it was only the servers coming in with the food. There were times when he was a little skittish of loud noises and he had warned her that he was prone to nightmares from time to time, but the tension went quickly out of him as the servers came in with the food. The reaction was so brief, it was hardly noticeable, except for those who knew him well or were very observant. He frowned a little as the food was passed around, worrying his landlady had gone a little overboard. "You didn't have to go to all this trouble," he told her quietly.

"It's no trouble, William," she told him fondly, one soft hand on his cheek as she smiled at the young man who so reminded her of the son she had lost so long ago. "In any case, how else am I to know you two will have the strength to last the night if I don't feed you up now?" As Mrs Middleton laughed at her own somewhat ribald joke, Jessamin's blush deepened, mild scandal painted in her eyes for a moment as she stroked her palm over Will's knuckles.

Will smiled, both at Mrs. Middleton's remark and Jessamin's blush. "We know where the kitchen is," he reminded her, presuming they were staying the night at the boarding house. It had taken months for him to save up enough money just to pay for a ring. There was no money for a proper honeymoon or a house of their own, just yet. They were making ends meet, but if it wasn't for the generosity of his landlady, it would have been far more of a struggle.

Jessamin Taylor

Date: 2013-05-27 06:45 EST
"You're assuming I'm not going to lock the pair of you into your new rooms until morning," the older woman chuckled, finally taking her seat, satisfied that everyone had a full plate.

On Will's other side, Jess giggled softly, not putting it past their landlady at all to do just as she threatened. Yes, it had been a struggle to make ends meet thus far, but now Jess no longer had to pay rent on her separate lodgings, there would be a little more money to play with. At the very least, they would be able to buy something for the woman who had made it possible for them to marry in the first place.

He smirked, a hint of the mischievous boy still alive and well inside the quiet, serious man. "Wouldn't be the first time I've climbed out a window," he remarked, with a playful gleam in his eyes. Not that he wanted to escape, but it might be worth it just to see the look on both of their faces if he did. His expression softened, eyes warm with affection for the older woman. He wasn't quite sure how to properly express his appreciation for everything she'd done for them, but somehow he had to try. "I don't know how to thank you for everything you've done." He looked to Jess for help, giving her hand another brief squeeze.

"Isn't that a slightly extreme reaction to not wanting to fulfill your husbandly duties?" Jess asked, light humor to cover the very brief moment of uncertainty following his tease, even as Mrs Middleton laughed once again. Will's wife caught his glance, smiling gently, and raised her eyes to their landlady fondly. "If there is anything we can do, please tell us," she asked quietly. "After repaying your loan, of course."

Mrs Middleton rolled her eyes at them, shaking her head in amusement. "Just be happy, the pair of you," she told him. "And stay here with me until you're ready to go out into the world by yourselves. Let me look after you a while longer."

"Who said I don't want to fulfill my husbandly duties?" he asked, blushing a little at the mention of such duties and reaching for the cold cut platter to serve both himself and the women flanking him. He frowned a little as the woman went on to ask them to stay at the boarding house a while longer, darting a glance at Jessamin. Though he had not said so outright, he was just as fond of Mrs. Middleton as she was of him, him with no mother and her with no son any longer. "Don't worry," he assured her, as he watched Jessamin. "We're very happy."

Jess held his gaze as he spoke, her smile enough to tell him he was absolutely right there. "And it would be an honor to stay until we can stand on our own feet," she added in her gentle voice, making no promises beyond that point in time.

Mrs Middleton nodded, serving out steaming new potatoes onto their plates as she smiled her own smile. "Be grateful I didn't ask for grandchildren, William."

His eyes widened at the mention of grandchildren, and he flushed further. They were only just married and though he assumed they both wanted a family someday, he thought it was a bit early to be talking about having children, though he knew it might happen sooner rather than later. "I'm not sure we're ready for that yet," he said, sneaking a glance at Jess again to see what she might think of the possibility. He wasn't opposed to the idea of starting a family, but he wanted to be able to provide for them when it did happen.

His wife carefully avoided his eyes, though there was a new smile on her lips that suggested she was not averse to starting a family someday. But he knew her well; Jess would only agree to that if they were both confident they could support that family when the time came. There were ways to prevent it from happening before then, most of which Mrs Middleton had taught her about only a week or so before this day. As the dishes were passed back and forth in front of them, finally set down as the conversations flowed, she flickered her gaze to Will's tenderly, raising her cutlery to begin eating. "Someday," she said finally, as much a promise as a delay. "Just not yet."

But Will knew very little about babies and even less about how to prevent one from being conceived, other than for the obvious methods, which were a little embarrassing to think about, much less discuss. Oh, he knew what went where and why. He knew how babies were made and all that, but he didn't know much about modern methods of birth control and up until now had had very little reason to look into it, assuming that was up to Jess. He looked back at Jess as she agreed with him, wondering what she knew that he didn't, but it was not the kind of polite conversation one had in public over a meal. His mind was reeling with all these thoughts as he picked up his cutlery and skewered a bit of potato. He made no comment on the subject at hand, but cleared his throat nervously and focused his attention on eating.

Mrs Middleton patted his arm gently. "It's all under control, Will," she assured him, and abruptly changed the subject, rescuing the newly-weds from a deeply embarrassing conversation that would not have gone unnoticed by the other diners.

The conversation flowed easily enough, passing over heads, around bodies, everyone having something to say to everyone else as the meal progressed. And all the while pretending not to notice the loving looks that passed between the bride and groom as the hours slipped by, drawing afternoon into evening with merry company. Until finally the last morsel had been eaten, and all that remained to be said was one traditional toast, offered up by the vicar who had married them in the first place. "Ladies and gentlemen, charge your glasses," he declared, rising to his feet with his own glass held high. "To the bride and groom!"

The breakfast seemed to go on and on, and with Jess and Will at the center of all the attention, a place which neither had ever been very comfortable with. If it wasn't for the affection they both felt for Mrs. Middleton and the gratitude they owed her, they might have made an early exit. Still, this was their special day, and it was never going to come again - a day they were both going to remember for the rest of their lives. Will glanced to Jess as the vicar moved to his feet to make a toast, reaching for his glass and holding it out to his lovely new bride.

It was a little humbling how quick their friends were to rise and join the toast, even more so to be one of the pair being toasted at all. Her own glass touched Will's, her eyes soft with loving still, even in the midst of the gathering around them. Like him, she was impatient even with her nerves to be alone with him, and yet she had no wish to disappoint their darling benefactor by leaving too soon. They had the rest of their lives, after all. Even if it did feel as though they had been waiting an eternity just to reach this point.

He'd no idea until this day that they'd had so many friends. He'd always been something of a loner, too busy helping his mother with the family farm to spend much time with friends. It wasn't until he left for the war that he found some well-earned camaraderie, but even that was tainted as he watched many of those friends die all too soon. It had all caused him to pull away from people and keep to himself, afraid he would lose anyone he let get close, and yet, here he was, surrounded by friends and well-wishers, and even a wife and a surrogate mother. He felt his eyes grow misty at the thought, knowing how truly lucky he was. He touched his glass to Jessamin's, making no effort to hide the suspicious wetness from his eyes, smiling warmly at the one person he loved more than any other - his bride, his beloved, his Jess. "I love you," he told her quietly, but not so quietly that those nearby might not hear.

They were an easy pair to like; quiet and unassuming, hard workers who, despite their strict eras, accepted everyone they met at face value. In spite of, or perhaps because of, the strange circumstances that had brought them both to Rhy'Din, they had each found a place here, the friends gathered around them a testament to that fact. That they had found love together was no surprise to any of those friends, either; the 20th century pilot and his 19th century bride could have been made for one another.

Jessamin beamed at the quiet declaration made under the sound of the toast being repeated all around them, inching close to brush the tip of her nose to his tenderly. "I love you, too," she promised him, barely leaning away in order to take a sip from her glass.

Jessamin Taylor

Date: 2013-05-27 06:45 EST
Their shared assurances were overheard by those sitting near them, and finally Mrs Middleton took pity, chuckling as she clapped her hands. "All right, then, ladies and gents, it's time," she announced, producing her keys from her pocket with a decidedly mischievous smile.

Will was so distracted by the quiet, returned declaration from his new bride that he hardly noticed what Mrs. Middleton was up to. He smiled back at Jess as they brushed noses and took a deep swallow of wine, as opposed to her sip. He'd grown accustomed to the taste of wine during his tour of duty in France and thought nothing of it. It was the clapping of hands that pulled him out of his thoughts and he glanced up at their hostess with an arched brow. "Time?" he echoed, curiously.

There was no answer to his curious echo but the quiet yelp of surprise as Jess was pulled up from her seat by several grasping hands. Others reached for Will, and in a whirl of movement, the bride and groom were on their way into the foyer and toward the stairs, wrapped about by their teasing, laughing friends. Mrs Middleton marched in the fore, singing something that could have been a little objectionable, had anyone actually been listening to the words.

Will just barely had time to drain his glass before he was yanked to his feet and half-dragged toward the foyer and the stairs, along with his bride. Once he realized what they had in mind - and caught a few of the ribald lyrics to the song their leader was singing - he laughed, a warm, happy sound that bubbled up from somewhere inside him, a rare event, but one that was becoming more commonplace everyday, mostly due to the two women he had become so fond of and who had filled the emptiness in his life and his heart.

All around them, kisses and embraces were being handed out to the nervous bride and groom as the rowdy but good-natured crowd drew them up the stairs and over the landing toward the set of rooms Mrs Middleton had been holding for them since before the turn of the New Year. The landlady had insisted that a married couple should have their own bathroom, and though there had been a little resistance from certain others who lived at the boarding house, she had held her ground, preserving the rooms just for William and Jessamin's pleasure when they finally wed. She now made a great show of unlocking the door, removing the key from the keyring and pressing it into Will's hand as he and Jess were teasingly nudged toward her.

"One last blessing before we part ways," she said, and though her voice was low, it carried, quieting the group all around them. "May you never lie, steal, or cheat. But if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, then steal away from bad company and sorrows. And if you must cheat, cheat death for as long as love lives in you." She smiled warmly, taking a hand in each of her own to pull both bride and groom close into her embrace, murmuring into Will's ear. "And if you must bring this bawdy group into my house, the least you can do is carry her over the threshold and give them something else to celebrate once the door's closed."

Will weathered the hugs and kisses with good-natured friendliness, if a little embarrassment. He'd never had anyone make such a fuss over him before, except his mother, but then, he'd never gotten married before either. Will closed his hand around the key, touched once again by the older woman's generosity and kindness. He hugged her back warmly, as she pulled them both close, touched by her blessing and smiling happily at her suggestion. It was not him who had brought the group there really, but he was not about to argue the fact. He knew the celebration would go on without them, while they were occupied with a celebration of their own in private. Turning to Jess, he reached for her hand to pull her toward him and kiss his bride once again, allowing those gathered to witness just a hint of what they assumed would soon be happening before closed doors.

Caught up in the merry celebration all around them, nonetheless Jess was relieved when Mrs Middleton quieted the gathering for a few moments, hugging into the older woman's embrace with deep affection. She, who had never known her own mother, had grown very fond of Will's landlady over the months, more grateful than she could express for the care that had been lavished on them both. "Thank you," she murmured into the woman's ear as they stepped apart, surprised to find herself drawn back into the circle of Will's arms and kissed once more to the raucous accompaniment of teasing cheers.

Will didn't bother to express his gratitude as he'd already done so countless times, and filled with excitement at the prospect of finally making Jess his wife in every way possible, he just plain forgot. Distracted by the cheers of the crowd, not to mention Jessamin's lips, he lost himself in that kiss for a moment before remembering Mrs. Middleton's instructions and breaking away to sweep his bride up off her feet and into his arms.

The group gathered around them could have been so much smoke and mirrors as far as Jess was concerned. Whenever Will kissed her, the world faded, and somehow it was different now, more intense, more all-encompassing. Sweet and shy still, she was a wife now, soon to be a woman, and the fluttering rise of butterflies deep in her belly were a testament to how imminent that taking and making truly was. Her fingers caressed his cheek as he broke away from her, her lips parting in a laugh as she found herself swept up and into the cradle of his arms, her own looped about his neck as the door was pushed open for them. Nerves made her smile brighter, her eyes sparkling with tender anticipation as the last of the good wishes were called out to them.

With his arms full of his sweet wife, he could not very well wave to the onlookers and well-wishers, and even if he wanted to take a moment to thank them, his words would have more than likely been drown out by the cheers and catcalls from the crowd. If there was any waving to be done, it would have to be done by Jess, as he wasted no time in escaping the crowd and lifting her over the threshold of their new home and kicking the door closed to give them some privacy at long last.

Perhaps she should have waved, but the time for being the center of their friends' attentions had come to an end for the new bride and groom. Jessamin's attention had focused upon Will, her gaze fondly greedy as she devoured his profile, the flushed handsome face that was hers to wake up to for the rest of her life. As the door closed, shutting out the worst of the noise left behind them on the landing, she gazed into his eyes, nervous and loving, and very slowly burst into giggles, hugging his neck as she pressed her face to his shoulder. "Oh, thank goodness that is all over!"

He hugged her close, cradling her against him as he turned to look around at their new surroundings with her still in his arms. She felt as light as a feather, compared to the laboring he'd been doing all winter. He smiled as she giggled, her laughter infectious, in complete agreement with her sentiments. He heard the murmur of voices outside their door grow quieter as the crowd dispersed and returned to their celebration without the happy couple. "Thank God. I thought it would never end!"

"Well ....well, it isn't completely finished yet," his bride stuttered softly, her blush wonderfully brilliant in contrast to the dark fall of her hair. Raising her head from his shoulder, she lifted her eyes to look about the room they had finally been allowed into.

It was a large comfortable space, separated into two areas purely by the placement of furniture - a table and chairs by the curving bay of the window, a small couch and armchair by the fireplace, dressers set against the walls.Set against the opposite wall was the bed, a fine sturdy wooden frame in deep mahogany, the mattress and pillows lovingly laid with the fresh linens that formed a part of Jessamin's trousseau. A door beyond the bed stood half open, an invitation to their own private bathroom. Their nightwear had been laid across the end of the bed, and a bottle of wine stood with a pair of glasses on the table. Evidently Mrs Middleton thought they were going to need a little more fortifying before they managed to consummate their marriage.

The room was bigger than the previous one, large enough to easily accommodate two people, at least for now. It was much smaller than the farmhouse he'd grown up in, but it would do for now, until they'd saved enough money to buy a house of their own. The room was, in fact, warm and cozy and comfortable and afforded them more privacy than his previous room, in part due to the fact that this one included a private bath, which seemed almost like a luxury to Will these days. Satisfied with the room, his eyes settled on the bed momentarily before turning back to his blushing bride with a blush and nervous smile of his own. He had butterflies of his own to contend with, wondering how they should begin. "I, uh..." he started, glancing around again, noting the wine and the nightclothes.

Jessamin Taylor

Date: 2013-05-27 06:46 EST
Her fingers curled against his neck, her skin warm with shy delight as the nerves she had been holding at bay most of the day began to make themselves known. She swallowed, glancing down for a brief moment before meeting his gaze once again. "I ....I should take my boots off," she admitted quietly, a little embarrassed to be mentioning this at all. "They pinch a little."

Okay, that was a start anyway. It gave them somewhere to start and it broke the ice and the tension, at least a little. He could do that. He could set her down so she could remove her boots. "Okay..." He glanced around again. There was a couch and chair by the fireplace, and then there was the bed. Which should he choose" "Is-is the bed all right?" he asked, unsure where to put her and not wanting to make her uncomfortable, though the bed was where they were supposed to end up.

"Um ..." For all that she was innocent and shy, Jessamin rarely hesitated. Yet faced with the prospect of being set down on the bed by her new husband, however innocent the intention, she found herself groping for an appropriate answer, eyes wide and breath just a little too quick for comfort. "I ....I think a-a chair would be better."

He tried to hide his disappointment. Despite his shy nervousness, he was no virgin and was looking forward to deflowering his young bride and making her his, but he was willing to take his time. He had waited this long, after all. He could wait a little bit longer. "A chair," he echoed, as if in agreement with her, and he carried her effortlessly toward the fireplace to settle her into the one and only chair that stood beside the couch. Once he was sure she was settled, he straightened, nervously tugging the bottom edge of his jacket down to straighten it. "Are you cold" I'll make a fire," he suggested, nervous energy needing something to do.

Her hands lingered on him as he set her down, catching hold of his to press her lips to his palm, unable to reassure him with words as her nerves mounted. She wasn't even entirely sure what she was so nervous of; she loved him, she knew he loved her. He would never hurt her. But then, she really didn't know what was going to happen tonight. Her aunts had always been frustratingly vague on the subject. Even Mrs Middleton had only told her to let Will take the lead, that everything would be exactly as it should.

"Thank you, I ....I am a little chilled," she answered his query as much truthfully as seeing the need for him to be doing something as she lifted her skirt and petticoat, leaning down to untie the laces on her boots. And a memory caught her - of a stormy night when she had not been allowed to return home, and had shared his bed as chastely as was possible. She remembered barking her toes in the darkness, and feeling his hands on her foot and ankle, bare against her bare skin ....and heat flushed through her once more.

This was something he could do for her, something that made him feel useful. He smiled as she pressed a kiss against his palm before turning to crouch down near the fireplace and strike a match to set the kindling burning. Unaware of her thoughts of that one night spent together out of necessity or the heat that was flushing her skin, his back was turned to her as he focused his attention on starting a fire. "It'll be summer soon." Their second summer together, but their first summer as marrieds. He idly wondered what that would be like and wished he had enough money to take her away somewhere for a short holiday. "I-I'm sorry we're not going on a honeymoon."

She smiled, glad he was talking, distracting her from those stray thoughts as she dared to slip not just her boots from her feet, but her stockings, too, folding the delicate silk carefully in her lap along with the blue satin garters. "We can go away together another time," she suggested softly, rather amazed that her employer had given her even one day off to get married, much less three. "When we are settled, perhaps."

He was thankful his back was turned to her, as he didn't want her to see the frown that had appeared on his face. He had wanted to wait to get married until he could support her and a family on his own, without her having to work, but as Mrs. Middleton had so kindly pointed out, that might take years, and neither of them wanted to wait that long. They had already known each other for over a year and been engaged for what seemed an appropriate length of time. If Mrs. Middleton thought they had waited long enough, who was he to argue" All of these thoughts went through his head without being shared, however, as it was their wedding day and he didn't want to spoil it by worrying her. "Where would you like to go someday?" he asked, making conversation as he got a spark going in the fireplace.

"I ....I don't really know," she admitted, her soft laughter a reflection of how sheltered she really had been all her life. "This is the furthest I've ever been. I spent a summer in the Lakes, once," she added hurriedly, not wanting him to think she had no experience or ambition to travel. Her fingers twitched in and out of the folded silk on her lap, embarrassed that it was there at all, and she rose to her feet, moving to set her boots to one side, wondering which drawer Mrs Middleton had decided was her unmentionables' drawer.

He poked about at the fire as the kindling took to flame, turning to watch as she rose from the chair. "The Lakes?" he asked uncertainly, unsure where that was exactly. He'd been to England, but he hadn't done much sightseeing there.

"The Lake District," she offered with a soft smile, bending to set her boots down by the door, and turning in a rustle of skirts to lay the embarrassing handful of silk and satin down on the dresser nearest to her. "It was very out of fashion when my aunts took me; we couldn't afford to visit the Norfolk Broads, which was where everyone else was. But I enjoyed it. It was the wildest place I had ever seen ....so beautiful." As she spoke, her hands rose to reach into the dark mass of her hair, withdrawing the pearl comb and many pins that held it back from her face.

"What was it like?" he queried further, hoping the little conversation between them would help relax them both and relieve the pressure of what was expected of them. The crowd downstairs no doubt assumed they had started consummating their marriage as soon as the door was shut, but Will was patient and knew that all good things were worth waiting for. His gaze strayed to the silk and satin she laid against the dresser, and he felt a warm flush of heat. He turned back to tend the fire, hoping she wouldn't notice his blush.

It was a long moment before she answered, her gaze turning distant as she remembered that summer, more than five years before, a tour of the lakes that were held within the protective wrap of the Pennine Mountains and the beautiful counties they resided in. "I don't really know how to describe it," she confessed softly, locating her comb to begin the work of untangling her hair gently as she spoke. "Everything seemed so much more alive there. Colors were brighter; better blues in the sky, and so many shades of green over the hills and fields, and even the jut of granite ....the grey was not so much a scar on the landscape as it was perfectly placed. I'm told we visited a good many stately homes while we were there, but I remember the walks best. Hours with nothing but the air and the light. If I'd had any skill at all, I would have painted it."

She'd said more to him in that description of a place he'd never been than she'd said to him all day. He set the fire poker aside and moved to his feet, wiping his hands on his pants as he turned to watch her comb out that long mane of hair. "Have you ever tried" To paint, I mean." The way she described the place made his heart swell with longing to see it someday, but he knew he never would. He'd learned the way back home since he'd arrived in Rhy'Din nearly two years ago, but he had no desire to go there. Nothing waited for him there but death, and he wasn't quite sure how it all worked. She was from a different time than him. Could he even go back to a time when he hadn't existed yet?

She laughed again, the sound far more relaxed now the initial terror of her nerves had passed away, glancing toward him for a moment with her fond smile before returning her gaze to the mirror, watching the passage of her comb through the dark waves of her hair. "I tried, when I was child," she told him. "My aunts wanted me to be as accomplished as I could possibly be, but alas, art is not my forte. I could not even copy the masters with any degree of success. And I am tone deaf, so learning the harpsichord wasn't an option, either."

Jessamin Taylor

Date: 2013-05-27 06:47 EST
"Harpsichord!" he echoed with a chuckle. He wasn't a modern man by any means and he knew very little about art or music, but he believed in her, even if she didn't believe in herself. "Jess, I'm not talking about copying the masters. Who cares about the masters?" He wasn't even sure who the masters were. Rembrandt, maybe? Michelangelo' Da Vinci" Who wanted to copy them' "I'm talking about painting what you want to paint, just for the fun of it." And as far as a harpsichord went, who played one of those anymore" "Have you ever tried the piano?" he asked, prodding her further. Now that the fire was going, he'd run out of things to do, and the nervousness was starting to set in again. He thought about taking his jacket off and getting comfortable but debating against it for now.

"No," she giggled softly, setting her comb down finally, drawing her fingers through her long hair. "I can read music, but I never know if what I am playing is what is actually written there." Her smile saddened for a moment, knowing he wasn't going to like hearing what she was about to tell him. "I never did anything just to enjoy it before I met you." She held his gaze for a long moment, lovingly tender in her soft way, before once more returning her gaze to the mirror. Her hands rose into her hair again, beginning the task of braiding it for the night.

"You don't....you don't have to do that, you know," he told her a little uncertainly as she started to braid her hair, wondering if she'd ever - just once - broken any of the rules that had been set down for her during her short life. "I-I kind of like it loose." He watched her from the fireplace, admiring the soft cascade of dark hair that fell over her bare shoulders and down her back, and there was that odd feeling in his stomach again that he recognized as desire. It would start there and slowly spread unless something was done to stop it.

Her hands stilled, a softer shade of rose painting her cheeks as a tiny smile tugged at her lips. He'd never told her what he liked about her appearance, or what he would prefer, and to hear him offer just one small preference made something flip over inside. "Then ...then I will leave it loose," she ventured softly, letting her hair fall back over her shoulders as her eyes strayed toward him once again. The flare of desire in his eyes was not something she could miss, triggering her own desires to rise, quickening her breath as she gazed at him, longing written deep in her own eyes.

"Just for tonight," he told her, though he certainly wouldn't mind if she wore her hair loose all the time. Her hair, he thought, was one of her best features, but it was her soft brown eyes he liked best. "I, um..." An awkward, nervous tension seemed to hang in the air between them. Anticipation, excitement, a little fear. "Would you like some wine?" he asked, extending a hand toward the bed, where a bottle of wine and two glasses awaited them. Maybe a glass or two of wine would relax them.

"Every night," she promised him, her shy smile reigniting itself gently. "I'd forgotten, until you mentioned it. My Aunt Cecilia told me that no man should ever see my hair unbound, except my husband." She laughed, just a little, sweeping her hair back from her face as she turned toward him, just a little fear flickering in her gaze as his gesture took in the bed, relief arising when he mentioned the wine. "Oh! I ..." She hesitated again, biting her lip, feeling her breath quickening once again as she pressed a hand to her waist. "W-would you mind awfully if I ....if I change" I-I think my corset was laced too tightly today." Not that her breathlessness had anything to do with her corset, of course.

His gaze met hers if only for a moment, the shared desire easy to read in the dark depths of their eyes. He felt the urge to go to her, to take her in his arms and kiss her until she was breathless, but instead he found himself nodding his head and maintaining some small semblance of propriety, if only for the moment. "No, of course not," he answered, trying not to imagine what that corset must look like beneath the lace covering of her dress. "I....uh....suppose we should both get changed."

Her smile was gently relieved, apologetic for her uncertainty as she turned toward the bed. Her eyes fell on the nightdress and robe laid out there, and for a moment she faltered. Then, with a whirl that tossed her hair about like a dark curtain, she hurried to Will, reaching up to cradle his face in her hands, pulling him down to kiss him tenderly. She was nervous, yes, but even she knew that it was only nerves. "I love you," she whispered to him fiercely, stroking her fingers against his cheeks before her hands fell once again. "I-I won't be long."

What could he say to that, other than returning her declaration of love" He was for the moment, speechless, lost in the warmth of her kiss and the promise of her love. He reached for her, settling his hands lightly against her waist, as his lips met hers, her fingers stroking his cheek. He only nodded mutely, his face flushing hotly with desire.

Her fears were allayed by that single kiss, though her nerves blossomed into something far deeper, far darker as he gazed down at her, knowing that look in his eyes for the desire it was. Desire for her, desire they had both been suppressing for months. Her fingers trailed down his chest for a brief moment before she stepped back. "I ....I think a glass of wine is a lovely idea," she managed softly, blushing brighter than ever as she turned away, sweeping the armful of silk and lace from the bed and rushing into the bathroom.

He would have liked to have undressed her himself or at least watched her undress, but they were both still too shy for that. Sooner or later, if they were ever going to really be husband and wife, they were going to have to get past the nerves one way or another. He watched as she slipped away from him, the pink blush lighting her cheeks prettily, taking an armful of nightclothes with her. Once she was gone, he blew out a breath, unsure what to do next. He glanced at the bed and the nightclothes Mrs. Middleton had laid out for him. Should he change out of his uniform' He was going to have to do it sooner or later.

Thankfully for them both, Jessamin was well accustomed to dressing and undressing herself, even with a corset to consider, having never had a ladies-maid to help her make herself presentable. And though it was always awkward, she could at least remove her clothes without hurting herself or damaging anything else in the immediate vicinity. The accumulation of rice in her bodice gave her pause, necessitating a brief wash with water from the tap just to clean her hot skin of the confetti that had been thrown liberally over them both at the church and when they had arrived here. When she finally paused to take stock of herself in the mirror, though, she realized she was regretting changing at all.

The nightdress had been a gift from Mrs Middleton, white silk and ivory lace, cut in a style the woman had insisted was only thirty years ahead of Jessamin's own time. But her arms were bare, the gown hung close to her skin, and as for the position of the lace ....well, it was positively indecent. What on earth would Will think of her, dressing like some scarlet woman just to go to bed? Still, it was too late to change her mind once again, and at least there was a long-sleeved robe, albeit sheer and buttoned close beneath her breasts. She was definitely going to need that glass of wine.

By the time she was finished in the bathroom, he had already changed out of his uniform and into the nightclothes his landlady had provided, which consisted of a black and white checkered shirt that buttoned up the front and matching pants. It wasn't the most attractive thing in the world, but it was sort and warm and comfortable and beat the long johns he usually wore to bed. There was a pair of slippers to keep his feet warm, but he didn't bother with them, leaving his feet bare. His uniform was neatly folded over a chair for the night, and he was found standing near the bed pouring them each a glass of wine.

Barefoot herself and infinitely shyer now than she had been before she'd slipped out of sight, Jess drew open the door, hugging her clothes to her chest. Her eyes swept the room, lighting on Will with her familiar soft smile, glad to see he had changed his clothes as well. She didn't think she could have borne it to be in this ridiculous garb and he still in his uniform. Drawing the door closed behind her, she moved almost silently to the window, laying her gown carefully over the back of a second chair, and turned to face him, her fingers playing in and out of the robe that swayed about her.

Jessamin Taylor

Date: 2013-05-27 06:48 EST
He heard the door open and looked up to find her back to him as she set her gown on the back of a chair, his eyes widening when she finally turned to face him and he took in the vision of loveliness before him. He tried not to stare, but couldn't help admiring the way the fabric flowed over her softly and yet clung in all the right places. Fortunately for him, he had finished filling the glasses or he might have overfilled them. It took him a moment to find his voice, his gaze warm and loving and full of desire and affection. "God, Jess, you're beautiful."

Again, there was relief warring with the soft desire in her eyes as she dared to step toward him, the twist of her hands in and out of the sheer robe growing more agitated by the moment. It was only the hang of her hair down over her chest that was keeping her from feeling completely exposed. Even his compliment wasn't enough to calm her down. "I feel naked," she told him, as though it were some terrible crime she was committing, expecting him to punish her for being so indecently dressed.

He laughed lightly, amused by her admission. Though he was nervous and a little bit shy, he wasn't nearly as shy as she was or as inexperienced. "I kind of think that's the point," he remarked, trying to keep his eyes focused above her neckline so that he didn't embarrass her further. He reached for her hand to draw her closer and hand her one of the wine glasses. The fire had warmed the room nicely, and the wine would help relax them.

Her fingers shook as they slid over his palm, soft and dry in the warmth from the fire. "Women dress like this in your time?" she asked, unable to even begin to imagine it. It was one thing to see women walking through the streets here in jeans and short skirts, but quite another to imagine the women of Earth doing the same, at least to her. "You're not-not angry that your wife is so ....so indecent?"

He felt the tremble in her hand and smiled reassuringly. He wasn't sure why she was so worried about him finding her indecent or wanton. Women in her day and age had to have undressed for their husbands at some point, just as they had in his. "You're not indecent and why would I be angry?" It seemed he was putting to rest several of her aunts' teachings all in one night.

"Well ..." She frowned, wondering herself now why she had taken so much of what her aunts had told her on faith. Surely a woman had to undress to lie with her husband, to make a child" And if she had to do that, what was so wrong about a nightgown" Jess shook her head, confusing herself with her own uncertainties. "Doesn't a man want a wife who is modest, who doesn't flaunt herself?"

He had to think about that a moment. She had a point there, even if her logic was somewhat backwards. "Well, yes, but....I think what a man wants is a wife who doesn't flaunt herself in front of other men." Of course, he could only speak for himself and for the men of his time in history. Even a few short decades later, women's clothing was already starting to change radically. "Women don't....they don't wear corsets back home." He knew her aunts would more than likely find that scandalous.

Her mouth fell open, soft eyes blinking wide with quiet astonishment at this little titbit of information he had never shared with her before. "I ....how do their clothes fit?" she asked with comical dismay. "How do ..." The glance she cast down at her own chest offered a hint toward what was concerning her. "Don't they have any support?"

"They wear....other things..." He faltered in his explanation. He wasn't a woman and lacked the words to properly explain the ins and outs of modern women's lingerie, or at least, what was modern to him. Here in Rhy'Din, it wasn't unusual to see a woman who was wearing very little at all in the way of clothing. He had gawked the first time he'd seen it, and though he didn't find it appropriate dress, he had slowly gotten used to it. "Jess," he started, taking the glass from her and setting them both aside to take hold of her hands and draw her to him. "You're not in England anymore. Your aunts aren't here to tell you what to do. You don't have to wear a corset anymore if you don't want to. I won't mind. I just want you to be happy. That's all."

No doubt Mrs Middleton was going to be involved in explaining just what those "other things" were over the coming weeks, but for now, Jessamin was reassured to find that Will had as much trouble discussing this as she did. Drawn closer to him, the by now familiar rise of tender heat found a flush on her skin as she gazed up at him, those soft eyes dark, stormy with desire she had no idea how to act upon. "I am happy," she promised him, squeezing his hands in her own, trying to assure him of her sincerity. "I want to be a good wife, Will. I want to make you happy."

"You do make me happy, Jess," he told her gently, reassuringly, her hands in his. "I love you more than you will ever know and....Just being with you makes me happy, Jessamin," he told her further, and then there seemed no more words to say and he was tugging her closer and kissing her tenderly, sweetly, softly, her lips warming him inside and out.

The silk swayed about her legs in unfamiliar coolness as he tugged her into him, his kiss swallowing the very soft squeak that rose from her at the strange, exhilarating feeling of his body so close to hers. She did feel naked; she felt as though she might as well not be wearing the beautiful peignoir at all. And yet ....the moment Will kissed her, she forgot to be shy, to feel so very conscious of her state. As her lips parted beneath his - for kissing was something she had learned to do very well over the past months - her hands slipped from his palms, rising with tentative affection to curl her fingers into his hair, to press a single palm over his heart. Perhaps she hadn't needed the untouched wine, after all.

He'd felt silly in the plaid pajamas Mrs. Middleton had left for him, far more at ease in the long johns he was accustomed to wearing, but as soon as his lips met hers, he forgot about all that. They had become adept at kissing over the last few months, at suppressing the mutual desire that rose with warm urgency between them. They had always stopped themselves at the appropriate time, before things went too far, before they reached the point of no return. It felt strange to know he didn't have to do that anymore, that he could allow himself to feel desire for her without having to squelch it, without having to go unfulfilled any longer. Oh, he knew it would take time before they were comfortable with each other, but he was more than willing to go slow, to give her however much time she needed. He could see the light at the end of the tunnel now.

She belonged to him now, and the only thing holding them both back was fear, but fear was an old familiar friend. There were different kinds of fear - the fear of death, the fear of failure, the fear of the unknown. This fear was a different kind of fear, and a fear that would soon be put to rest. Her kiss lit that fire inside him, despite the fear, and he took her face in his hands to kiss her lips and let her feel the need in him, hoping she felt the same. After a moment, he drew back, her fingers curling into his hair and sending a thrill of longing through him. "I'll go slow, Jess. I promise," he told her quietly, wanting her, needing her. He had been the perfect gentleman, but even the perfect gentleman could only wait so long.

Never had she felt more a child and a woman in one body than she did in that moment. A child, in that she knew almost nothing of what was to come; a woman, in that she longed for that unknown closeness with every fiber of her being. "I know," she whispered back to him, aching for more than kisses, though she could not have said quite what she was aching for. "I-I will try not to be a disappointment." Strange, that her greatest fear was not the pain that so many maidens were frightened of but the worry that she would somehow not be good enough for him, that he would be disappointed in her. She had been educated all her life to be a good wife, and God willing, a good mother, yet she felt keenly now her lack of understanding of the relations between a man and his wife. Her hand slipped from his hair, drawing her thumb along his jaw. "What am I supposed to do?"

"You could never disappoint me, Jess," he reassured her with a gentle, loving smile. He knew it to be true. No matter what happened, no matter how he might have imagined this moment, the reality of her was always going to be far better than any fantasy he could ever create in his mind. "Nothing," he replied, not much more skilled at lovemaking than was she, but it was something he was looking forward to them learning together. "Just kiss me and do whatever comes natural."

Jessamin Taylor

Date: 2013-05-27 06:49 EST
His gentle instruction brought a giggle bubbling up from her lips as she considered that what was coming naturally in waves was a conflicted urge either to hide in a cupboard or thrown herself onto the bed like a wanton. "I'm yours," she reminded him, her hands creeping once again to cradle his cheeks as she leaned into him. "I'll do whatever you want me to." And since he had told her to kiss him, that was precisely what she did; slow, tender kisses that peppered his lips, unconsciously inviting the fire within them both to flare to life once more without fear of damping.

He heard himself sigh against her lips, nearly a moan, all the months of denying himself this - both of them denying the primal urges that were part of their nature, despite their fears and their shyness with each other. He hoped that once they were past this first time, things would change between them. They would slowly grow more at ease with each other, more confident, until there was no fear, no hesitation, no worry. "Do you trust me, Jess?" he asked, between peppered kisses as his hands wandered to settle against her waist. Corset or no, she was just as desirable, just as lovely.

"Yes, I ....yes!" The word was a gasp from her lips to his, borne from the tantalizing shock of his hands at her waist, separated from her skin only by thin layers of gossamer sheer and slippery silk. Her eyes snapped open, gazing up at him with deep desire stormy in her dark eyes, close to overwhelming the fear that was only natural for this first wedded night. Her hands tightened on him, gripping tenderly into his hair, the collar of his pajamas. "I couldn't trust anyone more," she promised him in a voice more breathless than whispering, slowly gaining the courage to touch, just enough to show him that it was not him she was afraid of.

He smiled, sensing the desire in her that matched his, almost but not quite overcoming the fear. He reached for her hand again, drawing her with him closer to the bed, leaning over to pull back the blankets. The lights were already dim, the fire warming the room and creating flickering shadows that danced off the walls. The drapes had already been pulled closed to offer a sense of privacy, even if the only thing outside the window was that of a moonlit starry sky. They could not be more alone if they tried. Even the voices beneath them had died down, people departing the house and going about their own business, now that the happy couple had been escorted to the marriage bed. "You must tell me if I'm hurting you," he instructed, taking that part very seriously.

She barely hesitated, her gaze focused entirely upon him as he led her to the bed. The tremble in her could not have been more obvious, both from the gentle shake of the hand he held in his, to the tremor of the hand she pressed to the small collection of buttons that held her robe closed. But it was anticipation more than anything, an innocent understanding that after tonight, everything she knew about herself would be changed. "I will," she promised him, barely expecting there to be anything but pain. Her aunts, for all their vague explanations, had been quite strident on that point - a woman was not supposed to enjoy being bedded, they'd insisted. Quite how her maiden aunts knew that, Jess couldn't guess, but she had never argued with them.

If Will had known, he couldn't have disagreed more with her aunts' opinion on that - and that was all it was, because neither had ever experienced it for themselves. He wanted Jess not only to be comfortable with him, but he wanted her to enjoy the experience as much as he did. Despite her aunts telling her that to be a good wife, she must please her husband, Will was not a selfish lover. He wanted to give as much pleasure as he received; he only had to learn how. The first step, of course, was getting out of their clothes, and he thought maybe he should be the one to lead her in that. Perhaps it would help ease her own fears if she saw he was unafraid to bare himself to her, even if deep down he was as nervous as she was. "We don't have to do anything, if you don't want to," he continued as he worked the buttons of his shirt loose. "We can stop whenever you want."

The storm of her gaze could not linger on his, however much she tried to make herself watch his eyes. The movement of his hands between them drew her eye, and he was presented with the sweetness of her blush rising as each of his buttons came loose, the hunger in her matched only by the hunger in him. Innocent she might be, shy she might be, but Jess knew that this was theirs to share, whatever happened to make it whole. Her hand twitched toward him, startling her with the urge to sweep the cloth aside and touch his skin with her shaking fingertips. "I don't want to stop," she heard herself whisper as her fingers brushed the cloth of his shirt, her eyes finally returning to meet his gaze. "I trust you, Will."

There was a certain amount of pressure in that trust given, a certain expectation from her, perhaps, that he wouldn't disappoint or harm her, but whatever doubts were in his own head were overshadowed by his love for her and the desire he felt matched his own. Though he had her permission, he was prepared to stop at a moment's notice if she was feeling any doubt. Her fingers brushed the cloth of his shirt and he felt his heart leap at that simple, innocent touch. "I love you, Jess," he replied to her statement of trust in him, needing her to know it was love that spurred him onward. He shrugged the nightshirt away from his shoulders, exposing a torso that was slim and yet corded with muscle that had come from months of hard work. His body was slowly changing, becoming more like a man and less like a boy's.

The fierceness of desire in her eyes softened as he repeated his love for her, the gentler swell of her feeling for him sweeping to the fore once again. And perhaps strangely, it gave her new confidence that the frightening wash of passion had not. The backs of her fingers brushed against his skin, tracing the corded muscle he had developed over the year, warm and gentle and barely trembling any longer. Then her hand retreated, and she lifted her fingers to the buttons of her robe, brushing her hair out of the way to undo the sheer fabric and let it fall open, revealing the sweet indecency of the lace that made the bodice of her nightgown.

He dropped the nightshirt aside on a chair and turned back to find her matching his action and working her own buttons free. He lowered his gaze to watch her quietly, almost reverently, as she started to free herself of the robe, still covered by the gown, but revealing more of her than he'd ever seen before. He felt his insides curl into nervous knots of tension, more from desire than fear now that they'd taken this first step together, his heart beating a little faster in excitement and anticipation. She was so beautiful she almost took his breath away, and as she slowly revealed herself to his loving eyes, she only seemed to grow more lovely.

Jess found she couldn't take her eyes from her husband, her Will, even when he turned away for those scant moments it took to set his nightshirt aside. Under his gaze, so tumultuous with loving and longing, she felt beautiful in a way she could never have thought possible. She thought her mouth too wide, her nose too prominent, her figure not slender enough to suit the fashion of the time to which she had been born. Yet none of that seemed to matter to the man who had made her his wife. In silent reverence, she dared to let the robe slip from her shoulders, baring her arms in the soft firelight as she drew the luxurious fabric away. It felt like an eternity, the time it took to force herself to turn and place that robe to one side, and yet she realized she could not quite gather the courage to turn back and face him. Her head turned toward him, lighting her profile in the dim light from the hearth, longing for him to touch her, and lift her out of this strange limbo between maiden and woman.

"You're so lovely," he told her in a quiet voice, barely aware he had said it. She was still not bare to him, but he could see enough of her to know he spoke the truth. "I want you, Jess," he continued, the ache in his heart and body betraying him, unable to deny the need of desire much longer, though he would deny himself forever if she asked it of him. "Please..." he said, not wanting to plead or beg, but wanting her to know just how very much he needed her.

Her eyes closed as he spoke, feeling the rising need in him more than she heard it, knowing it was echoed in the staccato flip and sizzle that swelled through her own body as her fingers flexed against the back of the chair. Drawing in a slow breath, she forced herself to turn back to him, and suddenly there was no slowness, no nervous anticipation left in her. With two steps, she was in his arms, the shock of feeling his skin under her touch not enough to prevent the kiss that sought his lips, wanting to be overwhelmed once more.

He suddenly found her in his arms once again, the desire overcoming the fear, the love overcoming the timidity, and he opened himself to her, letting her feel his passion. He dared to deepen the kiss, throwing caution to the wind, becoming more passionate, letting her feel the love and the longing, his actions speaking louder than words. And as his lips plied hers and he explored the sweetness that was her kiss, his hands rose to her shoulders, very slowly and gently peeling away the last layer of thin cloth that kept them from each other.

Jessamin Taylor

Date: 2013-05-27 06:49 EST
Her kisses were messy, her hands untutored, restless as her palms skimmed over him, from shoulder to cheek, from neck to chest, into his hair, down to his waist, wanting to touch all of him, to know all of him, forcing aside the natural fear of what that touch could do. She was barely aware of the passage of lace and silk over her skin, baring the untouched, untried body that was his to love and enjoy as she trembled for him once again. That tenderly girlish sound he knew well made itself known as the gown pooled at her feet, her skin warming beneath his hands as her blush spread fast. And yet she did not slow her kisses, nor try to hide from him. No one had ever warned her that she would want to be touched, when the time came.

His heart was beating hard in his chest as they continued to explore and learn each other, albeit slowly. He found encouragement in the way she reacted, returning his kisses, exploring him with her hands. He pulled himself away from her lips for a brief moment to let his gaze move over her, admiring what he saw, the youthful beauty of her body that belonged entirely to him, the soft gentle curves he longed to memorize with fingers and lips. He kissed her again, tenderly, gently, before pulling away again. "Are you sure?" he asked, needing her permission once again before continuing.

Once before he'd laid hands on her bare skin, an injured foot, and brought her to a quiet frenzy without even trying. Here and now, Jess almost whimpered at the way he drew back from her, granted reprieve enough to feel the coolness of the air on her bare skin and react, curling her arms about herself with an odd sense of shame, dropping her eyes from his as his kiss left her lips. "Please," she heard herself plead with him, squeezing her eyes shut. "Please, Will ....don't stop, not now. I can't ....I can't bear it."

She hugged herself and he thought she was cold, moving close to wrap his arms around her and pull her against him, sharing his warmth. He drew a hand through her hair to push it back from her face, a soft brush of lips against her cheek before whispering quietly, "Lie down."

Cold was the furthest thing from what she was, but the wrap of his arms about her was what she had wished for anyway. Her breath ghosted against his jaw as he kissed her cheek, her body leaning trustingly into his as she shivered under the rippling stroke of her hair against her own skin at his touch. Her nervous uncertainty flared once again as he offered his whispered instruction to her, bringing the faintest flicker of her shy smile back to her lips as her fingers drew down his back. "As you wish," she whispered back to him, obedient to his desire, trusting that her own could not be so entirely misplaced. Reluctantly, she drew away, easing herself up onto the bed to lie stiff and awkward against the sheets, her hands once again seeking to hide herself as her blush deepened.

He leaned over to pull the blankets up over her, sensing her awkward shyness at being so utterly exposed and not wanting her to catch a chill, though the fire, for the time being, was warming the room sufficiently. He drew back again, feeling suddenly awkward himself, shy at the prospect of revealing himself to her completely. He knew she'd never seen a man without his clothes on before, and he hoped he didn't disappoint her or frighten her. His body lit by the flickering flames in the fireplace, his hands moved to his pants, as silly looking as the plaid nightshirt, loose-fitting and not very indicative of what lay beneath.

A little of the shy girl made itself known again as he drew the blankets over her, hands reaching to take hold of the hem and hold it close against her chest as her gaze turned toward him once more, curiosity now high in her expression as much as desire and shy uncertainty. "A-are you not coming to bed, my darling?" she asked him hesitantly, distress flaring on her face at the thought that perhaps she had displeased him already, that he was preparing to sleep elsewhere.

"Of course I am," he replied. "If you still want me to," he added, a little unsure of himself and of her wishes. He had told her he would stop at any point if she changed her mind, but oh, how he hoped she didn't change her mind. He hesitated, his hands at his hips, waiting for her reply.

Her smile rose, chasing the distress from her eyes as she laughed just a little, embarrassed by her own assumption. "Oh, I do, I ....I thought you were leaving," she admitted self-consciously, tucking the sheet tight about herself as she shifted to sit up.

"No, Jess....I'm not leaving," he reassured her quietly. "I'd never leave you ever." He knew she meant something else - that he had changed his mind about all this, but that was clearly not his intention. Without any more talk, he drew a deep breath as if to gather his courage and bent over to tug the last vestige of clothing from his slim self. Thankfully, the dim light hid most of the flush that rose to his cheeks as he dropped his trousers to the floor and straightened, terrified she might find him completely undesirable.

Whatever he was expecting her reaction to be, it was never going to be disgust or horror. She loved him too well to truly care what he looked like, and yet ....she had never seen a man's naked form before. As her gaze traveled down over his body, he was treated to the sight of her eyes widening in soft astonishment by what she found newly bared to her. "Goodness ..." She swallowed, her eyes snapping back to his. "Aren't ....aren't you awfully big to ....how will I ....does ..." Her unfinished questions trailed off in the steaming heat of her embarrassment with her own ignorance.

Instead of reassuring him, her questions only made him all the more self-conscious, all the more worried he'd hurt her, and his face flushed hotly in the dim light. "I'm-I'm sorry....I..." He glanced down at himself, not thinking he was much bigger than average, though he'd never compared. Was he really apologizing? He wondered if she knew what happened to a man's body when he was feeling aroused. If she deemed him too big, it was entirely her own fault, in a way. He swallowed, wondering if perhaps they should just lie naked together for the first time.

The sight of his sudden uncertainty brought her distress back into the light, realizing that she'd worried him, upset him with her questions. "No, I'm sorry," she hurried to say, suddenly close to tears for disrupting him, for failing to be what he needed her to be in these moments. "I won't speak again. Please don't go."

"I'm not going anywhere, Jess," he reassured her again, but he wasn't going to push her or force himself on her either, if she wasn't ready for him yet. He stepped forward, pulling the covers back to climb into bed beside her, settling the blankets around them both. "We can go as slow as you want," he told her, not for the first time, not wanting to frighten her by going too fast.

It was a strange paradox they found themselves in. On the one hand, if he allowed her to set the pace, to dictate their loving, it would not happen, for there would always come a moment when she would hesitate and need to be forced onward. On the other hand, if he pressed that moment too soon, their marriage would also never be consummated. He was walking the delicate balance well thus far, but Jess did not have the confidence nor the skill to guide him past this point, certain that she had done something terrible in speaking at all, much less questioning him. Silent, she lay beside him, her eyes averted, afraid even to move now in case she caused more harm than good.

He didn't want to wait either and knew he was going to have to take the lead, being the one who was slightly more experienced. He wasn't quite sure how to please a woman, but there was only one way to learn. If she stopped him, she stopped him, but if he didn't take a chance and at least try, they might never pass this point again. He knew that somewhere deep inside she wanted him. He'd sensed her passion burgeoning just below the surface and knew if she would only relax, she might share his pleasure. He settled himself beside her, turned to face her, reaching over to turn her face toward his and capturing her lips again, gentle at first before deepening the kiss. He brushed her hair back from her face, his fingers grazing her cheek before moving to her shoulder and sliding down her arm, slowly, gently, gauging her reactions to him, her readiness.

Jessamin Taylor

Date: 2013-05-27 06:50 EST
As always, his kiss calmed the restless thoughts in her mind, drawing her out of herself enough to respond to his affection with a slow softening of her tense limbs. Her fingers twitched to touch him, still wary of doing the wrong thing, even as his touch slipped down over her shoulder, along the length of her arm, setting her skin burning in his wake. She shifted, a new restlessness making itself known, and finally her hand came up from between them, daring her own fears to stroke her fingertips against his arm as the slow kindling of her passion drew a tender sigh from her throat.

Encouraged by her reaction to his touch, he dared to go one step further, his fingers grazing the soft rising curve of her breast, exploring her slowly with a trembling hand, hoping to not only learn her, but show her that there really was nothing to fear from him. He was a patient lover and he longed to give her pleasure, almost more than he wanted it for himself.

She could not have hidden her reaction to his touch even if she had wanted to. As his fingers grazed the tender swell of her breast, she gasped, stealing his breath from his kiss as her body arched, pressing that soft flesh into the curve of his palm. Her hand tightened on his arm, loosening almost immediately, and her other hand rose, too, smoothing her fingers into his hair as she offered a kiss in return, shuddering beneath his touch. A virgin she might be, but she was his wife, and she loved him. And now she knew what the source of that elusive heat was that had plagued her for months. It was a longing for this, to share this with him.

He let himself explore her slowly, touch her, discover her with gentle hands and a warm mouth, trembling with pent-up desire of his own. He went slowly at first, tentatively, gauging his next move by her reactions, warming her slowly to his advances and his ministrations. It wasn't until he was sure she was ready that his fingers strayed for that sweet place that lie at the center of her being, that place that would offer the most pain and the most pleasure. He was awkward at first, but gentle, his touch tender and loving, never forceful, hoping that if he kindled her desire further, what came next would be less painful.

And as he explored her, she could not help but respond, torn between shame at her own eagerness and tender longing for it never to end. Her hand covered her own mouth to stifle the sounds of her pleasure at his touch, still aware in the back of her mind her aunts' insistence that she should not be enjoying any of this. Yet her other hand, encouraged by the way he touched her, dared to touch him in return even as she writhed, stilling only once as his gentle fingers found the burning center of her desire. And even then, it was only to muffle the sound of her delighted cry in both her hands as she panted and arched, succumbing to the passion he was teaching her.

Encouraged onward by her reaction, recognizing her desire and wanting to fulfill her own needs, as well as his own, he moved over her, covering her body with his, well aware that by doing so he could no longer hide the effect her body was having on his. He was warm against her, more warming than a blanket, heart beating hard in his chest, his breath coming in ragged gasps between breathless kisses. They had come so far it was almost too late to stop now, and yet he waited, letting her feel the heat of his need so close to her own. "I need you, Jess," he whispered raggedly, his breath warm against her neck.

He needn't have feared that she would say no now. His patience had rewarded him as much as her; caught up in the tender glow of unexpected delight, she had forgotten her shyness, the strange need to muffle her voice. Her body rose toward his, acutely aware of the warmth of him, the strong jut of his own passion against her as he settled himself into the cradle of her trembling thighs. Her arms wrapped about him for a brief moment, embracing him with the fierce passion she would no doubt come to embrace in herself in the weeks and months to come. His ragged whisper brought another slow, throbbing whimper to her throat as her lips brushed tentatively against his shoulder. "Please," was all she could muster for him. "Please ....don't stop ..."

This was the point of no return - the moment where she would pass completely from child to woman, giving herself, trusting herself to him completely. He hesitated a moment, fear gripping his heart. He didn't want to hurt her, but he knew he has no choice. It was either that or never consummate the love and desire he had kindled between them. There was no turning back - it was now or never. He captured her lips again, thinking he'd distract her with the deepening of his kiss, even as he guided himself inside her, slowly, wincing just a little at the resistance he felt there. He wondered for an instant if he should force his way past it and be done with it. It would be painful for her, but only for a moment, and then he hoped pleasure would follow.

How could she possibly describe the sensation of being taken for the first time" The strange fullness, the tender throb, the unexpected ache ....the sharp pain as she felt him reach her maidenhead and pause. Clinging to him, Jess opened her eyes, the fear returning as her body tensed beneath his, expecting the pain to replace all she had experienced at his hands.

"Trust me?" he asked, pulling away from her lips for just a moment to ask her permission again, loving eyes meeting hers in a tender gaze. "It's going to hurt, but only for a minute." At least, he hoped so. It's what Mrs. Middleton had told him.

As though he needed to ask. She loved him; she'd given her life into his hands irrevocably. There was no question that she trusted him to the ends of the earth and beyond. But she was still a product of her time, still at once stronger and more fragile than the women who had come after her, and more afraid of the thought of pain than of pain itself. "Make it quick," she pleaded with him softly, hardly daring to breathe in steady rhythm as she held herself braced for something that would not be even a fraction of the pain she imagined.

That was all he needed to hear, just that little bit of reassurance, the permission from her to finish what they'd started. It would never be this way between them again. The first and hardest step was taken, and soon the pain would be over, and all would be pleasure. He caught her lips again, kissing her hard, before pushing past the resistance, past the pain. It became easier after that, as if the floodgates had been opened, and he moved inside her with a steady pace and a rising heat between them, until he could hold himself back no longer. He had been with a few women before, but never like this. There had never been this kind of sharing, this kind of loving connection as if they belonged together, and he felt a rush of emotions overcome him, even as he melted against her and inside her, filling her with a warmth unlike any she'd ever felt before.

That moment of shattering brought the pain she had expected, the hardness of his kiss smothering her cry as her body tensed in the grip of that sharpness, knowing she was no longer inviolate. She was a woman, and a woman should know her place. Yet ....who had ever told her that there were compensations for that first burst of pain" Not a word had been spoken about the tender change in that intimate ache, away from pain and into something that built with each press of her husband's form to hers. Despite the tears that escaped in that first breach, she was not still for long, clinging to him as he taught her to move with him, to share this satiation of desire with him. There were no thoughts of England in her mind at all. In that moment as love and longing and strange, sweet desire came to a blistering head, all her thoughts were for her husband, his name on her love-swollen lips. "Will!"

Will clung to her, holding her close as their passion crested and broke in almost perfect time with the other, shattering them both in unexpected waves of pleasure. "Jess," he whispered against her lips as she called to him, that singular pronouncement of his name making his heart swell with warmth and affection. He had never felt like this before in his life, this kind of sharing, two hearts, two souls, two bodies joined as one, if only for this one sacred moment shared between a husband and wife. He sighed contented, looking down at her with adoring eyes, brushing the tears from her cheeks with a gentle fingertip. "Did I hurt you?" he asked, frowning with worry and heartfelt concern.

Jessamin Taylor

Date: 2013-05-27 06:51 EST
Her unexpected pleasure left her almost faint, struggling for breath even as her body relaxed with boneless delight back against the sheets. The ache where he had been was swift to make itself known, but nothing more than an ache, despite the wetness she knew would be blood if she dared to look. A single shaking hand caressed his cheek as he gazed down at her, echoing his adoration, offering it back to him with no small amount of wonder. "Not so much," she promised him, honest in spite of her wish not to cause him concern. "I never thought ....am I a harlot, to have felt pleasure in our joining?"

His expression softened, a warm smile making itself known in the moonlight, relieved that it had not been too horrible for her and that she had known pleasure. How much pleasure he wasn't sure, but he thought it could only get better from here, now that they were past their first time. "No, you're a woman. It's supposed to feel good," he assured her, carefully rolling onto his side so that he didn't crush her with his weight. "I love you so much," he told her softy, his eyes shining in the moonlight.

Strange, that she no longer felt the fear lying there in his arms, yet the shyness lingered, caught up in the gentle ebb of the delight she had never expected to find in her marriage bed. She rolled with him, not wanting to put distance between them, selfishly glorying in the feel of his skin against hers, so new a sensation and so sinfully welcome. "Everything I am is yours," was her soft answer to his repeated declaration of love. "Was ....did I please you, Will?"

Her question made his heart ache, yearning to soothe her fears, her worries. She could not have pleased him more if she'd tried. He smiled softly as he tenderly caressed her cheek. "You could never displease me, Jess. I love you with everything I am. I have for a long time." He blinked and lowered his gaze as he felt tears of happiness prickling at his eyes, not wanting her to see them or to think him weak because of them.

Oblivious to the moisture that pricked his eyes, her smile lit up with joy, knowing she'd begun the lifetime of being his wife without failing him. Leaning close, she let her lips trail over his face, kissing his eyes, his cheeks, the tip of his nose, the jut of his chin, covering him with affection that only stilled when her arms wrapped about him. "I am glad the Clarissa never made landfall in America," she confessed softly, something she had never yet put into words. "I would never have known you if she had. And that, I think, would be my greatest sin."

He closed his eyes as she covered him in feather-light kisses, sighing softly and contentedly as her arms went around him and he took her into his embrace. She had never before spoken of the ship that was to take her to America or her feelings about finding herself in Rhy'Din instead. Neither of them had ever expected to come here, both of their fates already decided for them back home, it seemed. She would have more than likely been wed to a stranger, and there was a good chance he would not have survived to see his next birthday. "Do you ever wonder how we ended up here?" he asked. If they handed, they surely would not have known each other. By the time he was born, she would have already been old.

Or perhaps not so old. Yet at sixteen years older than him, by the dates of their births, she would have been too old to love him or him her, even if their paths had crossed. Here and now, he was the elder, and Jess wouldn't have it any other way. She could not bear the thought of returning to her old life, not now. This was hers, and she never intended to give it up. "I used to," she admitted, resting her cheek fondly against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. "But I do not see the point nor the purpose any longer. I have all I could ever wish for or need, here in my arms. The past is past; you are my future."

He reached for the blankets to tuck them up over her before wrapping her in his protective embrace, wanting to keep her forever safe and warm. He pressed his lips against her forehead, closing his eyes and breathing her in, silently wondering how he got so lucky. Why him' Why them' But she was right - none of those questions mattered or could ever be answered. All that mattered was the here and now and the fact that they had found each other. He couldn't imagine himself anywhere else but here, or with anyone else but her. She was his life and his love and his reason for being. Nothing else mattered. He smiled contentedly and a little bit wearily, but it was a good kind of weariness - the kind that came from living a full, contented life. "I will always love you and care for you, Jess. No matter what," he echoed the vows he had made earlier in the day, needing her to know they weren't just words - he meant to keep that promise with every fiber of his being.

"As will I, for you," she promised him in return, feeling once again the weight of the delicate ring that now rested about her finger. His ring, marking her as his wife. The only darkness on the day had been the fact of her aunts' absence, but it was not such a hardship as she had thought it might be. She knew they would approve, that they would welcome Will into their family as eagerly as anyone could imagine. And though she might never see them again, she did not mind so very much. She had her husband, her love, her life stretching out before her to make him happy the best way she could. In time there would be a home, children, but for now, she was content to revel in the satisfaction of being Jessamin Rose Taylor, no longer just an orphan of good family, but beloved wife.

As for him, he would have loved for his mother to have met her. He knew she would have loved Jess as much as he did. She would have welcomed her into her home and her life and her heart, just as he had. It was bittersweet knowing she would never meet his beloved, but he had to believe that somewhere she was still watching over him, somewhere she knew and was happy for him - happy for them.

Just as they were happy with each other. In this strange land, so far away from all they had known as they grew, far from the strictures of her childhood, the horrors of his war, they had found each other. No matter what happened next, no matter who crossed their path, they would always know, one to the other, that they were loved. And that ....that was all they could ever have wished for.

((Bit of an uber log, but they deserved a good go of it after we made them wait so long! As always, many thanks to Will's player for indulging me!))